1pt3 Empowered
by Lamby
Summary: A 'package' for Magneto is intercepted by the X-Men and raises the biggest question of all... What if they were no longer mutants?
1. 01

**A package for Magneto intercepted by the X-Men raises the biggest question of all; what if they were no longer mutants? Logan/OC1, Remy/Rogue/OC2 triangle**  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier appears courtesy of Corrinth, the X-Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Third X-Men Evolution story, be prepared for blossoming romance in unexpected quarters, angst-y love-triangles, fire, explosions, bad guys and general X-Men action! Anything you have questions about, feel free to read the prequels or drop me a review/email and I'll be in touch. Reviews and comments are always welcome. Thank you, Lamby.  
  
Scene 01  
  
Previously, on X-Men Evolution.........  
  
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"How about you Kurt?" The question was asked of the German mutant as he stood uneasily in Xavier's office for the first time. "Do you have any special powers that brought you here?" The mutant known as Nightcrawler concentrated momentarily, and with a sudden poof! reappeared over in the other corner of the room. His only verbal reply was "Maybe."  
  
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The mutants known as Cyclops and Logan stood shirtless on the roof of the recently rebuilt Xavier mansion. Working on installing a large satellite dish, the younger man turned to his older and supposedly wiser friend for a little advice.  
  
"Have you ever felt so strongly about someone that you just couldn't get the words out?" Scott Summers asked, trying to keep his mind on the job and not on his best friend, the stunning Jean Grey stood right now not a stone's throw away.  
  
"Yeah once," Logan replied, "Most beautiful bike I ever saw. I was so speechless someone else bought her........."  
  
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"Do that." Magneto ordered. "You say the Vixen had a friend with her? Was she a mutant too?"  
  
Gambit's eyes clouded over slightly as he recalled that aspect of the previous night. Eventually, parched from dancing, the redhead had let him buy her a drink. She'd steered their conversation like a pro, getting him to tell her more about himself than he'd wanted too. She knew his name and what his powers were. And when he'd asked her about herself, she'd put a warm finger on his lips, ran it gently down his bearded chin, his throat and down the front of his tight black t-shirt. Her gentle touch had then burnt the fabric, revealing a good few inches of his muscular chest, left a trail of blisters on his skin.........  
  
"Her name's Blaze, and she's got fire powers........." That was an understatement, he was sure. The girl was dangerous. Fascinating, but dangerous.  
  
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Present day.........  
  
Foggy darkness crept along the streets like he did, as though it too were afraid of being followed. Lights flickered and buzzed in doorways and overhead, as if anxious in the unrelenting dark. The young man dressed in a long trench coat stopped suddenly, checking over his shoulder once as he knocked three times on the black-painted door.  
  
In a moment the door creaked open inwards, revealing a green-grey corridor that smelt of stale smoke and old sweat. A shifty looking rodent-like man beckoned Gambit inside and shut the door behind him. The little man stood there then, as if waiting for an explanation.  
  
"Remy le Beau, here to pick somethin' up for Magneto."  
  
"But........." Stuttered the shrewish man, "But its already gone, the package I mean........."  
  
"What do you mean?" Remy shouted; Magneto would likely kill him for this! "Who took it?" The little man stood very still for a moment and looked at Gambit very carefully. After a few seconds he answered, his eyes very wide.  
  
"It was you. I mean, I thought it looked like you......... It was your name they gave........."  
  
"They?" Gambit pushed; there had been more than one person? Unlikely to be Mystique then, but who?  
  
"Yeah......... Yeah!" The little guy suddenly perked up. "Yeah, two of 'em! Two female mutants! They took the package! You can fool ole' Shrew's head, but not his sense of smell!"  
  
Gambit left then, leaving Shrew to his gloating about how clever he was. If there were two of them, then he knew exactly where the package was. With the X-Men.  
  
(Roll titles.....................................) 


	2. 02

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier appears courtesy of Corrinth, the X-Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel. Description of what happened to the bike is lifted straight from 'Guardians of Destiny' by Corrinth with many thanks.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 02  
  
There was laughter in the air of the bar as Gambit entered. Apparently the barman had just told a hysterical joke and half of the occupants of the establishment were laughing jovially along with him. A lithe redhead with long lose curls was however the obvious chosen audience for this display of the barman's humour, perched on a bar stool grinning. The smile didn't fade and in fact grew wider and welcoming as she spotted Remy approaching her.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd appear Remy." Blaze greeted him with her English lilt. "Took you longer than I'd thought."  
  
"No Claws tonight?" He asked as he took to the stool next to her, referring to Ilehana Xavier, the animorphing telepathic daughter of Charles Xavier and also Blaze's flatmate.  
  
"Not tonight, Vixen's with Logan." Blaze replied rolling her eyes in a despairing fashion. "Wanna beer?"  
  
Gambit nodded his reply, judging how best to proceed as the barman served them both, sulking that his pretty audience had been stolen away from him. Blaze let Gambit think, knowing full well what was troubling him. Smiling softly to herself as though smug she pulled her long fingers back through her mass of curls.  
  
"How'd you do it Chere?" He asked, stressed that she could be so at ease with all of this. After all Magneto had very nearly killed her not so long ago, wasn't she afraid of him? Or was it that she didn't care what happened to her fellow thief, to Gambit? Then again why should she care, she was an X-Man and Gambit was their enemy. That thought stung. "How did you know 'bout it?"  
  
"Do you even know what 'it' is?" Blaze replied raising an eyebrow as she raised her bottled beer.  
  
"No." Gambit was forced to reply. "But Magneto ain't gonna be too happy that I ain't got it for him."  
  
"Trust me Rem," Blaze offered, placing her bottle back on the counter. "You wouldn't want 'it'!" She smiled and tossed her head to flick her hair out of her face. "Why don't you ditch Magneto anyway and come home with me instead?"  
  
"Tu est folle." He replied calling her insane whilst wondering how many guys got that kinda offer from the redhead. He bet it wasn't many. But he smiled too and she echoed that as he lifted his own beer.  
  
"Ah, oui." She answered in an overly melancholy tone. "And there's nothing they can do for me either. But seriously Gambit, you're worrying too much. Its not your fault the X-Men beat you to the package. If Magneto wants his transactions to remain secret he shouldn't use a blabbermouth like Shrew to act as go-between. And if he tries to take it out on you, the X-Men will help you even if it is just to get a cheap shot at him."  
  
"You happy with the X-Men Cherie?" Remy asked, not much comforted by her words. "Wouldn't have thought a thief could turn good guy just like that."  
  
"Me neither." Blaze admitted. "But yes, I'm happy right now. Oh there are a few of the kiddies I can take or leave, naming no names, but the rest are cool. I'm helping train Magma and in return the Professor is helping me gain better control of my own powers......... Sorry, didn't mean to start preaching."  
  
"Its okay Chere." Gambit sighed. "I need to get goin' anyways........." He put the empty beer bottle down and rose from his seat, not looking back as he left the bar. Blaze watched him with brown eyes mournful, wishing she could help him, wishing she could save him. From Magneto, from himself......... But she knew that unless he asked, he'd despise any backup she offered him as righteous sympathy. He'd push her away just as he was beginning to realise he could be friends with an X-Man.  
  
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There was a hiss as the beer bottle top was flicked away across the garage by Logan's endlessly useful claws. He'd almost raised the bottle to his lips when there was a stubborn "Ahem" from the pair of feet sticking out from under the 4x4 in front of him.  
  
"Sorry." Wolverine acknowledged to the feet, putting the bottle down next to them and an empty takeaway pizza box. "I'll get another one." He turned to do just that as Ilehana Xavier pulled out from under the car grinning.  
  
"I'll get you trained up yet Logan." She mused, sitting and pulling her ruffled hair out of its traditional ponytail. The long blonde locks reached almost to her waist in a shimmering waterfall of femininity somewhat enhanced rather than contradicted by the streak of engine oil across her cheek. Yet again Logan found himself a little swept away by how stunning Vixen was even as she pulled her hair back again and secured it as usual. But she was the daughter of his friend, how could he even think like that about her? "Are you going to open that beer or just stand there?" Ilehana asked with a sly smile.  
  
"Oh," Logan muttered, "Yeah." The beer bottle hissed as froth spilled over his hand and onto the floor as Ilehana laughed. "Don't say anythin'." He growled meeting her eyes with laugher in his own. "I know what you're thinkin' darlin'."  
  
"Hey who's the telepath round here?" Vixen complained as she climbed into her jeep's driver's seat and prepared to rev the engine. "Lets see how this goes........."  
  
Logan nodded approvingly as the car engine grumbled low and angry. Ilehana left the engine idling as she started messing with something under the bonnet. Logan busied himself fixing the last of the new X-logo alloy wheels to the car, thoroughly enjoying himself as he worked. Reaching behind him to grab the appropriate tool whilst holding the wheel steady was a little tricky, but Vixen was always in the right place at the right time, putting the tool in his hand without needing to ask what he needed. Nothing was said as their fingers touched briefly as he grasped the tool. The closeness of her was as intoxicating as the ice-cold beer as Wolverine tried to cover his thoughts with a new line of conversation.  
  
"So how come we're workin' on a car anyway? What have you done to my bike?"  
  
"Your bike?" Ilehana replied, comically outraged. "I bought her, Logan, not you. You were too busy drooling like a sheep chewing cud."  
  
"At the bike." Wolverine was quick to point out.  
  
"Did I imply otherwise?" Vixen met his eyes with a sparkle in her own.  
  
"So what happened to her?" Logan pressed again, ignoring her teasing of him.  
  
"Run in with a tiger." She sighed sadly, then seemed surprised that Logan was goggling at her. "Took offence to the smell of petrol in his territory and completely wrecked it." The offence in her tone made him laugh as he patted her shoulder comfortingly.  
  
"Never mind babe, I won't hold it against you."  
  
"Aww." Ilehana complained, Logan unsure as to whether she was looking for a fight or something else entirely. "You think too much." She admonished him, and leant over to kiss his cheek softly. At least, that had been her intention. Logan's own lips brushed hers, both pairs of predatory eyes closed, both hunters locked in a moment so tender it almost denied everything that they were. Both mutants in that second knowing there was no use in fighting, this was simply meant to be......... 


	3. 03

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel. Description of Danielle is lifted straight from 'Almost Human' by Corrinth with many thanks.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 03  
  
"And?" Magneto asked Gambit with a raised eyebrow and a cold malice to his voice. The Cajun grimaced as he forced himself to reply.  
  
"The X-Men beat me to it. Your acquaintance Shrew blew it." Far be it for Gambit to imply Magneto was wrong, but let Shrew take the blame as much as possible. Yet Magneto didn't react as Gambit had thought he would, instead of ranting and raving the older man became positively thoughtful.  
  
"Are you sure the X-Men have the package? You have confirmed it?"  
  
"Yeah, I spoke to Blaze. They have it alright." Remy frowned, what was Magneto implying?  
  
"Excellent." Now that was the last response the thief had been expecting from his boss. Gambit stood there shocked as Magneto began to walk away from his man and head further into the lair. "This has worked out quicker than I could have hoped for. It is a great irony that the X-Men through their interference have brought their own destruction on themselves........."  
  
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Scott Summers was uncomfortable, eyes worried behind his ever-present shades. He didn't mean to be afraid, but the frown that crossed his brow was one he couldn't hide. Sweat dripped down his forehead even as he tried to conceal his emotions, and his palms were clammy with tension. Yet this was the one thing he longed for, the one thing he wanted above anything else. Wasn't it? Did he trust enough for this to happen? Was he sure that no one would get hurt if they went through with this?  
  
The girl in front of him reached out her hands to him, her dainty fingers taking hold of his shades with great care. He couldn't help the sharp intake of breath, nor prevent himself from screwing his eyes tight shut. Only the Professor's voice and the great strength the older man gave out telepathically could reach Scott right then, he was so terrified of hurting the girl.  
  
"Its alright Scott, you can't hurt her, or any of us right now." Charles Xavier was confident. Around the room the other X-Men waited with bated breath, from Jean Grey through Rogue, Iceman, Storm and Beast. Kitty bit her nails anxiously whilst the Professor's daughter Ilehana smiled slightly, knowing how confident her father felt in the little girl's abilities. Such a small little girl, younger even than most of the children at the Institute. She was the first person that Scott Summers had seen without his shades since his mutant powers had first appeared.  
  
Her name was Danielle, the package that Ilehana and Blaze had intercepted the night before. She was all of ten years old, but there was an air of maturity about her that Scott found hard to understand. Her left ear was framed with maybe ten silver hoop earrings, while the right was adorned with a simple silver star-shaped stud. Her eyes were grey and cold, somehow calculating as she looked back at him. Deep chestnut hair was braided into what looked like millions of tiny plaits, all pulled together into a ponytail. The beads at their ends clicked together whenever she moved her head, like now when she glanced from Cyclops to the Professor for his approval.  
  
"Very good, Stifle." Charles mused appreciatively as around the room gasps of shock and awe came from every gathered member of the team. Even Ilehana was a little shaken by how completely Stifle could afflict a fellow mutant, blocking out their very powers. What a weapon she would have been for Magneto.  
  
"Thank you." The girl replied, English accent much more defined and refined than the well-travelled Blaze's. "You may want to put these back on again now." She said to Scott, holding out his shades in a small hand.  
  
"Thanks." Cyclops stuttered; taking the shades and putting them back on with a sigh of relief. He might have longed to see the world properly with his own eyes for so long, but to have that chance suddenly thrust upon him with no time to prepare was a little unnerving.  
  
"Well," Hank McCoy tried to break to tense atmosphere with a joviality he did not feel. A child that could in essence reverse mutations? What possibilities could this raise for him? "Lovely as this has been its time for school for you all. Scat."  
  
"Not you." Storm put a gentle hand on Stifle's shoulder as the child looked bemused at the backs of her fellow youngsters. "Relax child, it's been a long night for you." Stifle nodded, but Storm could feel Danielle's tension as an infrequent tug on Ororo's powers. Even hours locked away with Professor Xavier the night before had not completely put the girl at ease. But no one could blame her for that, after all it seemed Magneto had had her abducted and transported to America. Now it was up to the X-Men to find out why.  
  
"What did it feel like?" Kurt asked Scott earnestly as they left the room to head out to school. "Did it hurt?"  
  
"It was strange." Scott commented as Jean took her position walking on his right side. He noticed that every single one of the X-Men from Jean and Kurt through to Magma and Iceman was hanging on his every word. All of them were fascinated by the Institute's newest arrival. "It didn't feel like anything."  
  
"Like anything you've ever felt before?" Kurt wanted clarification.  
  
"No, like nothing at all. It didn't hurt or......... Or anything. I just didn't have my powers anymore." Suddenly every one of them had questions for Scott. Had he tried to use his powers? Had Stifle given him control or where they gone all together? Were they working now? Had she deliberately released him or did it only last a short while? Rogue was the only one who kept her mouth shut, pausing and dropping back from the X-Men as she dared to hope that perhaps this little girl was the answer to her own terrible curse......... Could she touch Stifle?  
  
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"Its clear why Magneto wants the child." Storm began to address the older team members after a worn out Danielle had been put to bed. "She'd make a very powerful weapon against any mutants, especially us."  
  
"You can't put an untrained ten year old in a battle situation." Logan countered. "Even Magneto isn't stupid enough to try that, Stifle wouldn't know what to do in that kinda deal. She's as likely to turn on his own men as she is to get the right target."  
  
"And it doesn't fit that Magneto would want to train her up himself." Ilehana added. "He's shown so little interest in training his own children Wanda and Pietro. So why has he had her brought to Bayville?"  
  
"That appears to be the question." Charles Xavier agreed with his daughter. "But until we can learn more our first priority must be to keep Danielle safe. Be vigilant, Magneto may go to great lengths to take Stifle back from us."  
  
"Even an attack on the Institute?" Beast wanted to know, eyes wide with shock.  
  
"Possibly." Xavier answered, touching fingertips in front of his face. "We will have to wait and see." 


	4. 04

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome. Thanks to my sister for helping me finish this chapter off nicely, but now you have to get a move on with your own stories okay?  
  
Scene 04  
  
"Earth to Rogue!" Tabitha waved her bejewelled hand in front of Rogue's face. "Is there anybody in there?"  
  
"She's been like this all day." Kitty moaned, fed up. "Its like talkin' to a brick wall."  
  
"I have not!" Rogue replied, dragging herself back to reality with a thud. Still at school? Oh well......... "I'm just a li'l distracted, didn't get much sleep last night........."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Tabitha asked with a wink. "An' why's that? You got some new boyfriend on the go?"  
  
"Remember who you're talkin' too." Rogue pointed out opening her locker and glancing in. "What am I lookin' for again?"  
  
"English homework, and hurry up we're already late." Kitty answered with her hands on her hips.  
  
"So what you girls doing this weekend?" Tabitha wanted to know. "Wanna come ice skatin' with me?"  
  
"Ice skating?" Kitty smiled. "Sounds cool, but I didn't know there was a rink around here?"  
  
"Its new, just opened at Mount Arrowrose. Beautiful scenery, fresh air, all those gorgeous snow-boarders and ski instructors........." Boom-Boom laughed.  
  
"Not to mention Magneto's cronies behind every pine tree." Rogue grumbled, but part of her perked up at that thought. Could Stifle let her touch someone else?  
  
"Oh lighten up Rogue!" Kitty admonished her. "It's a great idea. But if we don't get to English now we are gonna be in big trouble........."  
  
"Then lets go." Rogue replied whist lifting what she hoped was her homework out of the locker and grabbing Kitty's wrist with her gloved hand to pull her roommate to class. Tabitha watched them go, stuck her hands in her jeans pockets and wandered off casually to whatever class she was supposed to have next.  
  
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"Morning." Blaze greeted with a yawn Ilehana when her flatmate reappeared from the briefing at the mansion.  
  
"Afternoon." Vixen corrected her friend. "Late night?"  
  
"Nah, early morning." Blaze replied, flicking on the kettle and searching the cupboards for proper coffee. Instant stuff would not touch the exhaustion she felt. "Sorry I overslept. Did I miss much? Has the Professor got to the bottom of Danielle's powers? Did you and Logan get the alterations to your car finished last night?"  
  
"Yes you missed loads, including a good look at Scott's real eyes courtesy of Danielle, which are brown by the way." Ilehana sat down heavily on a kitchen chair as Blaze made coffee for them both.  
  
"So that's her power? To cancel out another's mutation at will? Creepy." Blaze didn't like that idea at all, her distaste for it so tangible to the telepathic Ilehana that Vixen's own stomach churned in sympathy. "That'd be as bad as being insulated by Wanda or touched by Rogue."  
  
"I'm glad you think that way Blaze." Ilehana replied. "It was really odd, witnessing the thoughts and feelings of the others when they saw what Stifle could do."  
  
"Like what?" Blaze asked, taking a seat across the table from her friend and pushing the first coffee mug to Ilehana.  
  
"Beast and Kurt both instantly realised that they might be able to look normal if Stifle's powers are strong enough. They both so long to go out in public without the need for gadgets or the fear of prejudice. Storm, constantly battling to keep her powers under control, much like you are, thought not of a permanent change, but at least for a night off the strain she'd under. All of the others were wondering what it might be like to just be normal, even if only for a short while. Except for Rogue........."  
  
"What did Rogue think?" Blaze pressed as Ilehana became somewhat pensive.  
  
"Of being able to reach out and touch someone, anyone without hurting them. She felt it so strongly Blaze, longs for it with everything that she is, but she'd never just ask for help........."  
  
"Hum, that reminds me of someone else around here." Blaze grumbled, putting too much sugar in her coffee. "Has the cheek to turn up and complain that I've gone and put him in Magneto's bad books, but wont ask for help to escape the creep altogether."  
  
"So that's why you were out so late, Gambit being a bad influence on you?"  
  
"No, he left after about ten minutes. Spent the rest of the night trying to forget how completely useless I am and how dejected he looked. Hours of fun." The redhead sighed heavily. "Guess as far as guardian angels go I'm sacked."  
  
For a moment neither young woman spoke as Blaze slurped her coffee heavily and Ilehana pondered the word 'Guardian' as if somewhere she'd heard it before. But the moment past, Blaze perked up and turned the conversation back around.  
  
"What about you? How did your last night go?"  
  
"Car's all done." Ilehana replied, a twinkle in her eye as she met her gossip-loving friend's glare.  
  
"What aren't you telling me?" Blaze asked exquisitely.  
  
"Oh, nothing really." Was the only reply from the predatory woman as Ilehana dropped her eyes. Blaze wasn't sure, but might that even be a suggestion of a blush on her friend's face?  
  
"Liar, come on Ilehana tell me!" Blaze begged, planting her elbows on the table and demanding that Ilehana look back at her again.  
  
"It's just......... well me and Logan......... well........." Ilehana stuttered under her friend's gaze. Couldn't Blaze just fill in the details for herself? Why was this hard to explain? Fortunately Blaze ended her torturing of Ilehana as she grasped what her friend was talking about.  
  
"Oh! Right. I understand mon Amie, say no more." She laughed. "It's about time you two got your acts together anyway!" 


	5. 05

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 05  
  
The following morning Stifle was to be found pacing her room at the mansion like a caged tiger, longing to be let out, to set her angry mood to destroying something. The beads in her hair clattered like chattering schoolgirls, and she wished she could pull them all out one by one to silence them. She hated that downstairs in this rambling mansion strangers deliberated over her importance, her powers, and her reason for being in Bayville as if she were just an animal or toy, something to pass the time playing with. She knew why she was here, to do her father proud.  
  
Her memories were still a blur to her, as they had been since the day her mutant powers had developed. She had woken alone and unnamed, a confused mess with no past nor present to be greeted by him, the mutant named Magneto. He had called himself her father, given her back who she was, given her true name name. Stifle.  
  
He had had friends of his train her, look after her. Her mother was dead she knew, other than him she was alone. Then at long last he had sent word that she was to be brought to him in America, that she could prove how much she loved him by doing one thing for him. Bring down the X-Men from the inside. Offer them all what they wanted most, to be human, to look normal, to relax suffocating control, to touch......... Make them fight for her friendship, her powers, make them decide if they were willing to give up everything for the chance to be human. Oh she knew that the effects of her powers had never yet proved permanent, but they did not. And they could not, not even the strong telepaths amongst them were immune to her power. Both of the hated Xaviers had quickly learned that they could not read her mind unless she let them. That they both thought of her as a helpless child, a victim, could only aid her disguise.  
  
Stifle grew bored of waiting, sick of doing nothing. Doing nothing was of no use to her father or to her own peace of mind. With childish venom she left the room, slamming the door behind her and storming downstairs. Stray mutant children watched her pass, whispering. Danielle presumed she would have to get used to that. It could only help in the end. Raised voices echoed down the corridors of the mansion; an argument about her already?  
  
"I'm only saying that Danielle could be a great asset to us here at the Institute." The voice was Jean Grey's, righteous and indignant. "We all put ourselves in danger when we train a new arrival. Stifle could put an end to all that uncertainty, all that risk, if we only asked her........."  
  
"We manage just fine as we are with new arrivals, Jean." Storm's voice was a warning. "Any mutant who has just developed their powers needs to learn the importance of control. That cannot be done properly if they know that Danielle is waiting to be a safety blanket in case anything goes wrong. They have to learn responsibility........."  
  
Danielle left them to it, without any effort on her behalf it seemed the seeds of Magneto's plans were taking root. Instead she found herself putting an ear to a quieter door, wondering who was behind it.  
  
Hank McCoy gazed out of the window at the bright sunny day, the children playing outside, all the beauty of the world, and sighed. His hand brushed the windowpane disconsolately as his eyes focused on his own hideous reflection. Doomed to this, trapped in a body that could never be accepted by him or anyone else......... But wait! For just a single moment, Hank looked into his own face, his human face. His heart stopped, his breath caught in his throat as in the corner of his eye someone moved in the reflected image. A small someone with dark hair and brooding eyes. He turned to greet them just as the door clicked closed again. A glance back at the window confirmed Hank's worst fears; he was the Beast again.  
  
Storm was exhausted; her argument with Jean the final straw in what had been a very stressful morning. In her hand a scruffy note stained with teardrops was the latest progress report from her nephew. Evan was an infrequent and elusive pen pal, it had taken Ororo months of hard work to get any sort of message back from him at all. Now the best she could get was a brief handwritten missive that he was okay with the Morlocks. If only she could believe him.........  
  
Sinking into a chair with a sigh like an aching wind, Ororo only longed to relax. No, that wasn't what she wanted; she was too troubled to relax, but to be able to put all her energy into worrying until she could work out the solution......... It couldn't happen. Storm was not the type of mutant to be able to do that, not with powers as potentially devastating as hers.  
  
A warm hand fell lightly to rest on Ororo's shoulder. Thinking it was Kitty Storm muttered her thank you. But the hand did not move and Kitty did not reply. Instead with a sudden dread Storm realised that something very important to her was missing. Her powers did not wane slowly; there was no pain or force involved. It was simply that they were no longer there. She did not feel the air shifting and beckoning around her. She could not grasp the cold of the far North and bring it to her. And then with a well of relief that began in her stomach and flooded her so completely it was as though it would suffocate her, Storm began to cry.  
  
Stifle stayed but a few moments, knowing her work was well done. With a sniff Storm accepted her heavy burden and turned to thank Danielle with all her heart. But again the child had left. Instead a confused looking Kitty stood with Magma and Tabitha in the doorway.  
  
"Are you okay Storm?" Shadowcat asked, worry clear in her voice as she came to put a cool hand where Danielle's had been just a moment or so before.  
  
"Yes, thank you Kitty." Ororo answered, not feeling exactly all right but at least slightly rejuvenated. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"We just wanted to ask if its okay if we like head up to Mount Arrowrose, to go ice skating you know?"  
  
"Of course." Ororo was happy to oblige. "But don't be to late back. Oh, and take Jean with you please? She needs a little cheering up." "Alright!" Tabitha exclaimed, high-fiving Omara in the doorway. "The Bayville Sirens are back in business!"  
  
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"Have you been in contact with Stifle?" Magneto questioned the telepathic Mastermind in the deepest regions of the mountain-bound lair, his sinister voice echoing off of the cold metal walls.  
  
"I have." Mastermind replied with his ugly face filled with an irrational fear of his master. "She assures me that things are going well. She is resolved to serve you as best she can my master, as are we all."  
  
"Humph." Magneto acknowledged his man's slimy words with the disgust of someone who has trod on a large cockroach. "And what of the X-Men? How do they receive my 'daughter'?"  
  
"As one of their own." Mastermind enthused. "And it will be the undoing of their very team, Stifle swears it."  
  
"Good." Magneto replied with his voice brushed with anticipation. "Then send for Gambit and ready Sabretooth and the others. It is time we began........." 


	6. 06

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 06  
  
The ice rink was relatively busy. Rogue eyed the other punters wearily as she wrapped a black woollen scarf more closely around her neck and double- checked her traditional gloves. Today was not the day for unfortunate accidents. Kitty, Tabitha, Jean and Omara could hardly contain their excitement, chattering constantly as skates were strapped on and hair tossed back from faces.  
  
For half an hour the five girls stole the show at the rink. Omara confessed to never having skated before, a fact that Tabitha exclaimed over and duly took over the girl's tutoring. Jean took Omara's other free hand and between the two mutants Omara found herself on the treacherous ice and skating around and around in no time. Kitty automatically became an ice- dancer. The slippery surface seemed to allow Shadowcat to do tricks and moves that Rogue wouldn't have thought possible even on good old solid ground. But then again Rogue was hardly a stick in the mud herself.  
  
The southern belle adored the feel of the wind in her face as she took a speed skater's stance and accelerated around the rink with ease. The other skaters became little more than weaving posts; the only sound that of her skates cutting into the cold ice. Until suddenly the peace of that moment was broken with the somewhat familiar but out of place sound of a snowmobile engine. Rogue pulled up fast, twisting on the ice to stop as her hair was teased by the wind. She frowned as the silhouette on the vehicle proved all too familiar.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jean was quickly at Rogue's side, following her teammate's gaze across the pure snow to the fast-approaching snowmobile. "You think Gambit's spotted us?"  
  
"You're the telepath." Rogue remarked snidely. "You tell me what he's up to." Gambit's snowmobile hit a rise way too fast and took off, flying through the air with his trench coat billowing. Somehow in midair he dragged the bike around, landing sideways and on his feet facing the X-Men. "Show off." Rogue muttered as he saluted them cheekily military style.  
  
"I've read his mind." Jean announced proudly. "I don't think he's up to anything just now. But he does say that a belle Mademoiselle like you shouldn't scowl so much Rogue, it doesn't suit you. And that he'd quite happily try and cheer you up........."  
  
Rogue scowled deeper, not sure who to aim that expression at, Jean or the departing Cajun. The smug big-sisterly tone to Jean's voice really annoyed the independent Rogue, did the redhead know how irritating she could be or did she really think Rogue wanted to know what Gambit was thinking about her? Belle, didn't that mean beautiful? He thought she was beautiful? Jean smiled knowingly as Rogue suddenly flushed a little as Gambit's compliment hit home. He may be their enemy, but that was a nice thing he'd said about Rogue. Maybe there was hope for them both yet.  
  
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It was amazing, Stifle decided, the changes in attitude people had towards each other when they found out a little about them. When Blaze and Ilehana had 'rescued' her from Magneto's clutches, the redhead and the blonde had been pleasant, even friendly with her. Blaze had been supportive as Stifle was whisked away, trying to explain to the confused girl what was going on. But now Blaze was uneasy around the younger mutant, eyeing her warily as if Stifle would reach out with her powers on a whim and take everything Blaze was. Not that Stifle cared, using her mutation to agitate and infuriate the fire elemental who could do little to stop her.  
  
**Stop that. ** Ilehana griped inside of Stifle's head. **If you don't want to be roasted alive. **  
  
**She can't hurt me. ** Stifle boasted with a child's arrogance. **I can control her powers. **  
  
**Oh really? Blaze can't even control her powers all the time. Do you think that you're strong enough to contain her if she loses her cool? ** Ilehana didn't wait for the annoying child's response, closing the telepathic link like a slammed door. They were in the control room above the danger room. Technically Blaze and Ilehana were running a training session for Kurt, Scott, Iceman, Berserker and Cannonball. Not that it was going very well, and having to baby-sit Stifle was only making things worse. At least the ten-year-old was toying with Blaze and not with the boys below as they ran the gauntlet. Tampering with their powers now might cost them their lives. Sick to death of the girl's attitude, Ilehana called for re-enforcements. **Hank, can you come take Danielle please? **  
  
Stifle watched Ilehana and Blaze very carefully. She knew from her brief from her father which of the X-Men to play and how, knew more about them than they would consider possible for a stranger to know. She'd worked hard at it too, not for her father's sake as much to avoid the beatings she'd get from her minders if she didn't pick things up quickly. She blamed the pain she'd suffered on the X-Men. Blaze and Vixen were exactly like she expected, fiercely protective of their powers. Xavier Senior was the same, as was the Wolverine. But the rest......... Her eyes drifted over the boys below, before resting calculatingly on Hank McCoy as he entered the room.  
  
A short while later as the boys left the danger room exhausted and thoroughly chewed out for slackness by Ilehana and Blaze they were greeted by an innocent looking Danielle holding tightly to Hank McCoy's hand as he gave her a guided tour of the mansion's lower levels. Difference was that Hank McCoy was not his usual self, the self the X-Men knew and liked. He was human, and vain with it, stopping by every reflective surface to admire Stifle's handiwork.  
  
"Beast?" Scott asked stepping forward as behind him quizzical looks crossed the other boys' faces. "What's happened to you?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, nothing." Hank was eager to appease his friends. "I mean........."  
  
"Could you do that to me?" Kurt asked taking a bobbing step forward, prehensile tail whipping the air behind him. "Could you make me look normal too Stifle?"  
  
"Danielle is a little busy right now Kurt." Beast stated, hanging possessively onto Danielle's hand. The child shot Kurt a whimsical look, and he bought the idea that she'd rather be spending time with someone more her own age hook line and sinker.  
  
"Yeah sure, its fine for her to use her powers to make you normal, but not anyone else!" The German mutant moaned, making a snatch for Stifle's hand.  
  
"Kurt what are you doing?" Scott was disbelieving. Serious frowns crossed the faces of the other boys too, what was going on here? Stifle batted her eyelashes and feigned vague disinterest as Scott grabbed Kurt and dragged him away from Beast. Hank looked vaguely upset, but his upset turned to dismay as Stifle wriggle out of his grasp and skipped off down the corridor after the boys shouting for them to wait up. 


	7. 07

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 07  
  
"An' what do we have here then?" Gambit let himself into the brotherhood's house with an air of vague indifference. Having swapped his snowmobile for his favoured red motorbike at the base of the mountain he'd fast-tracked his way across Bayville. Now he found the rabble of mutants led by Magneto's son and daughter sprawled in front of the endlessly buzzing TV like they hadn't a care in the world. Gambit would soon sort that out.  
  
"Same as usual." Toad complained, hardly even stirring from lying on the floor with his chin in his hands as Gambit lent on the doorframe. "Medical drama on one channel, chat show on another, reality TV on another........." The other brotherhood members were alert slightly more quickly. Lance put down his electric guitar, the Blob his sandwich as Wanda and Pietro exchanged briefly worried glances. What did their father have planned for them now?  
  
"Huh." Gambit acknowledged Toad's insight by pulling the plug on the TV. Toad groaned, swinging his feet around under him and sitting up. "I'se got orders for you. Seems Magneto ain't so embarrassed by you all as I thought. We launchin' an attack tonight an' he want you part of it."  
  
"Alright!" Lance exclaimed, his excitement literally making the house shake. "About time we got some serious action."  
  
"What is it?" Wanda was more cautious, more intrigued. "What does my father want us to do?"  
  
"Nothin' much." Gambit smiled casually at he daughter of his boss. "Just keep the X-Men busy while us grown ups do what we have to........."  
  
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Stifle caught the boys up with a gentle sprint, noting their different tense reactions to what had happened with Beast. The whole thing made her smile secretly, this game was too easy and her father would be well pleased with her. Suddenly as the small gaggle rounded the corner they ran into Jean Grey and Rogue coming the other direction.  
  
"Hey girls, how was the ice skating?" Scott asked, eager to break the uneasy silence with a relatively safe topic of conversation.  
  
"Fine," Rogue replied, "Thanks." Stifle noted how Rogue wouldn't meet the ten-year-old's quizzical glance. What had happened that made the energy vampire so nervy, even more than usual around Danielle?  
  
"It was great!" Jean's eyes were sparkling, making Scott smile in return. She really was beautiful. "Oh, Danielle, so long as your not busy, perhaps you could do a tiny favour for me?" From nowhere Jean plucked a camera like a magician would a rabbit from a hat.  
  
"You want to take my picture?" Stifle scoffed, the beads in her hair clattering as she took a slight step back. "No thanks."  
  
"No, I mean, I'd really appreciate it if maybe you could stifle Scott's powers for a few minutes? Just so I can get a picture of his eyes?" Jean actually seemed a little shy to request this, especially in front of Kurt, Rogue and the others. Stifle didn't get a chance to reply though as Rogue made her feelings on the matter quite clear.  
  
"That is so self-centred Jean! What a total waste of Stifle's powers!"  
  
"What do you mean?" Jean snapped back, hands on her hips and pouting. "I'm not doing this for me."  
  
"Then who for? Principle Kelly? Eugh, I'll see you guys later." With that Rogue stormed off in disgust. She needed to find the Professor anyway. Stifle watched the older girl go, before turning back to Scott and Jean.  
  
"You can take your shades off now Cyclops."  
  
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"That......... child." Blaze sighed, folding her arms across her chest to stop them from shaking. She was furious, but the shaking was more to do with the way Stifle's tampering had worn down her crucial control mechanisms for her power. She had to get control again and quickly before someone got hurt. "If she was ten years older I'd........."  
  
Blaze cut off just what she'd do to Stifle as Rogue entered the control room behind Ilehana. The action was not missed by Rogue, and just served to aggravate the brunette even more. She settled for cutting Blaze out her conversation as much as Blaze had cut her out of the previous one.  
  
"Have you seen the Professor, Ilehana?" Rogue asked, "I need to report to him."  
  
"He's in Cerebro still." Vixen filled in, "Trying to track down just who Danielle really is, and without much success I'm afraid. You'd better just tell me what's wrong and I'll let him know as soon as possible." Rogue nodded, aware that Blaze was not looking like giving Vixen and Rogue any privacy and that Ilehana was unlikely to get rid of the redhead.  
  
"Its nothin', really I guess." Rogue tried to play down her fears, not wanting to seem ridiculous in front of Blaze. "Its just while we were up at the skatin' rink, we saw Gambit leavin' Magneto's lair. Jean tried to read his mind, but I think he befuddled her too easily........."  
  
"Yeah?" Blaze seemed to find the idea quite amusing. "What did he say?"  
  
"None of your business, Firefly." Rogue snapped back, blushing an interesting shade of crimson. Blaze shrugged and resolved to ask the Cajun next time she got chance. Corrupting innocent schoolgirls, whatever next? "But he's gotta be up to somethin', right?"  
  
"Probably." Vixen agreed. "Thank you Rogue, you did the right thing telling us."  
  
"Does that mean I'm dismissed?" Rogue asked with her eyebrow raised and one hand on her hip.  
  
"If you like." Vixen agreed amicably, hiding her laughter as Rogue turned and left like a deflated balloon. "You got any ideas?" She asked her flatmate who was recovering quickly now from Stifle's teasing.  
  
"If I knew how that man's head worked, he wouldn't still be working for Magneto." Blaze was adamant, and Vixen had to give credit to Blaze's determination to one day save her friend. She'd go down with the ship rather than leave Remy to his fate swimming with sharks like the master of magnetism. "But I don't and he is, and I wouldn't put anything past any of them........." 


	8. 08

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 08  
  
The government installation, a big warehouse-like complex of undeterminable denomination, began to burn a little too easily against the sombre red-gold sunset. Pyro stood atop the building's roof, cackling as behind him the flames he controlled were reflected in the silver orb that had been his mode of transportation. As soon as the flames leaping like jackrabbits distracted the guards and shift workers, Gambit nodded the all clear for the Brotherhood to cross the perimeter fence and get set up for what was more than likely an imminent counterattack from the human-loving X-Men. Magneto himself helped his children and their allies to gain entry, whipping the steel mesh fence out of their way and abandoning it in the tree line behind them. Colossus and Sabretooth were invisible to Xavier's mind's eye, a fact that worried the telepathic mutant as he set aside the Cerebro helmet.  
  
**X-Men, to the briefing room. ** Xavier ordered, feeling his team acknowledge him. But there was something else, a chronic undertone as he brushed each of their minds. So much anxiety and even anger. What had been happening amongst his X-Men whilst he had been trying to find out who Stifle was and what his old friend Eric wanted with her? He resorted to allow the X-Men to gather before him, let them spend some time in each other's company that he might get a better idea of what the problem was. It could be thought of as wasting time whilst Magneto and his associates made a head start to their plans of course, but then again better to solve these worries now before the X-Men had to rely on each other for their lives.  
  
He entered the room like he walked into a frost, so cold and hard where all the X-Men to him. Arguments ran like the chattering of teeth between Rogue and Kitty, Jean, Scott and Kurt, even Beast and Storm looked as though they would be at each others' throats given half the chance. By the door though which Xavier had entered, Ilehana, Logan and Blaze stood silent and apart, judgemental of the mutants they called their teammates if not always their friends.  
  
"Allow me Professor." With a flex of her powers Blaze shimmered and shifted like the flames of the sun. The room suddenly became uncomfortably warm and startlingly bright. All of the gathered X-Men turned and looked at Blaze as much as they could whilst shielding their vision with their hands. The more animal amongst them; Wolverine, Vixen and Beast were visibly unnerved by the presence of fire in their midst but once she had everyone's undivided attention Blaze restrained herself and the room was once again dark and cool.  
  
"That's better." The Professor spoke in a stern voice, leaving no doubt that it was not to Blaze's actions he was referring. The X-Men looked jaded and ashamed. "There is trouble at a government installation on the far side of New York City. The Brotherhood are definitely involved and I believe they may have company."  
  
"No problem Professor we can take the loser-hood out with our hands tied!" Scott was as eager to prove himself as always.  
  
"Its not a matter of 'taking them out'." Xavier stressed. "There are ordinary humans working in that building. Their safety must be the team's priority."  
  
"We can handle it Charles." Logan added as around the room the others nodded their agreement. "If there are enough of us."  
  
"The whole experienced team should be involved." Xavier agreed, no nasty surprises from Magneto this time.  
  
"The whole team?" It was Blaze's criminal mind that spotted the flaw in the plan. "And if this is just a diversion so Magneto can claim back Stifle?"  
  
As Xavier met Storm and Beast's eyes, the subject of their conversation stepped out from behind a crate. Danielle did not want to be left out of anything. Xavier looked very carefully at the child, and sombrely spoke to her with the full respect she so desperately wanted.  
  
"For your safety, would you stay with Storm and I in the Velocity? Keep your powers under control and do exactly as you are told?"  
  
Stifle nodded just as seriously. This was the opportunity she'd been waiting for, the chance to show her father her worth. As she replied to Xavier her heart had already begun to pound with righteous adrenaline. She would show these X-Men how little they were worth to her. "Yes Sir." 


	9. 09

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 09  
  
"I don't like the sound of that........."  
  
Blaze wasn't sure who was speaking, but as the X-Men looked down on the wave of devastation that had swamped the government facility in this wanton act of terrorism, she couldn't much disagree. Had their own petty arguments delayed them too long? What if people had already been hurt? The screaming and raised voices, the smell of burning chemicals was like a flood of desperation to her, desperation to fight.  
  
"Cyclops take Shadowcat, Nightcrawler and Iceman and get those people out of there." Xavier's voice was hard and decisive. "Vixen and Wolverine take scouting parties and see if you can't find our old friends. Blaze, I leave the fire to you."  
  
"Alright people." Scott adjusted his uniform around the neck, trying to appear more confident than he felt. "You heard the Professor, lets get moving."  
  
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**Be careful. ** Ilehana muttered inside Logan's head as he led Jean and Rogue off in one direction, and she took Beast and Magma in the other. The tree line offered thick cover around the perimeter and already both Xaviers had pinpointed some presence lingering there.  
  
**You too. Or else, okay? ** His reply was gruff, but edged in tenderness that made her smile. Blaze had an idea what her friend was smiling at, stifled a grin of her own as she stalked past Vixen, heading not for cover but straight out into the open. Her friends would watch her back, just call her the fire brigade.........  
  
"All set?" Storm asked the Professor as he joined her and Stifle in the Velocity, watching the team deploy. He nodded, pursing his lips and arching his fingers together as he often did when worried. "You sure Blaze can handle this, it's a very big fire?"  
  
"Don't worry Storm." Xavier replied, watching as against the night sky the chemicals burning backed out the moon with smoke, turned the fire greenish and then back to bright orange. "If she can't, I will let you call upon the weather. But we can't afford low visibility at this stage, not before Scott and the others have the civilians at a safe distance."  
  
Behind him Stifle watched them all like a hawk. Something troubled her, a feeling she could not escape nor account for. Ever since she had discovered she was a mutant, been trained by her father's acquaintances, all her focus had been on what he set it on. On destroying the X-Men from within. But if that was all he wanted, why was he endangering innocent lives tonight? She was here, where he needed her to betray the X-Men so that his men could annihilate them. But could she stifle their powers when it could cost more than just the lives of her enemies? Could she let those humans die? Finally she pushed her troublesome thoughts to one side. Her father was a great man. He would not allow those people trapped in the building to die.........  
  
Back outside Blaze counselled the rescue crew, but she only watched the tower of flame above her. Fire like this caused a hunger in her far beyond any need for food. The sparkle in her eye was not entirely reflected; though neither was it entirely natural. The fire ran in rivers of split chemicals across the ground all around the building, but as far as she could sense the rectangular structure itself was unharmed. So far at least.  
  
"Stay close to each other. I will call the flames to me; make you a channel to run down." Nightcrawler shot a worried glance to Kitty who was shielding her face from the heat of the fire. Was it just him, or did what Blaze was suggesting not quite make sense? "You will be safe," Blaze continued, "So long as you don't take too long to get into the building. When you are in, mark where you entered and come out the same way. It will be safest that way."  
  
Blaze's eyes clouded over like heavy smoke, her hands reached out grasping towards the fire. The sudden shift in direction of the heat caught her hair in a hot breeze, whipped it around her like an aura. She didn't shift her body into fire, knowing if she did that now the fire would as much consume her as she wanted to consume it. It was a temptation too far. With a breath, she began attacking the flames, pulling the troublesome tendrils of fire towards her in a corkscrew motion, coiling them against each other to make a rope. Scott saw the moment and led the X-Men charging towards the building. Blaze hardly saw them pass.  
  
Touching Kitty, the team of four were phased right through the exposed wall of the building. Stumbling out of solid bricks and mortar into a cold yellowish corridor it didn't take long for them to realise their mistake.  
  
"It's a trap!" Kitty exclaimed as behind Colossus, Sabretooth snarled "Hello children........." 


	10. 10

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 10  
  
Suddenly Logan stopped, sniffing. Jean peered over his shoulder as if in the dark staring hard enough would let her see what Wolverine could smell. They'd moved too far from the compound, Rogue thought. If they had problems out here......... She didn't get chance to think as from nowhere a great glob of slime slapped Jean in the face and the Brotherhood was on them.........  
  
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Vixen was morphed into her favourite wolf form, allowing herself to range as Beast was more naturally through the trees. Magma walked between them, alert and attentive. Telepathy and sense of smell worked together, so by the time they caught up with their target Vixen knew exactly who it was. Pyro laughed heartily as he spotted them, dropping from a tree branch and launching a splattering of fire right at them. Vixen and Beast dived out of the way, but Magma was having none of this.  
  
"You think that's hot?" She cried out. "Try some of this!" Her hands moved out from her body in a snap, flinging fireballs hot enough to melt rock right at Pyro. The speed of her attack was so ferocious that he didn't have time to deflect all of the fireballs with his mutant power. More than his pride was bruised when two fireballs hit home. Landing on his rump in the dirt, he could only watch as strange expressions came over Beast and Magma as the wolf turned to them.  
  
**Wolverine and the others are outnumbered! ** Ilehana snarled in their heads, directing them back the way they had come and leaving Pyro dazed and confused behind them.  
  
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The fire was almost out, completely under Blaze's control. She'd leave some of it for now, under the Professor's instructions to mop up the chemical spill and to provide light for the rescue. The few ribbons that ran along the ground now were like eager to please children, making Blaze smile as she felt them tugging for her attention. But it was as she opened her eyes that she found out how much the fire had clouded her senses with power. She should have felt him watching her much earlier than this.  
  
Gambit blinked suddenly as Blaze's eyes opened to reveal portholes of flame, orange and dancing where her irises should have been. Blaze shook her head and got the stolen flames under control, the fire in her eyes fading to her usual glowing brown embers. He didn't want to think how powerful she'd be right now with all that firepower she'd just absorbed. They knew it would come down to this, she was an X-Man and he was not. No matter what he thought of her, now they had to fight.  
  
"I wont fight you." Blaze did not speak loudly, but she didn't need to. Her words were in her stance, arms limp by her side, chin lowered, shoulders relaxed. She met his eyes evenly, as if she knew he would not attack her first. Gambit re-pocketed the playing card that had been in his hand, dropped his own fighting stance. He just didn't know what to think.  
  
"So how you wanna play this?" He asked as she walked towards him, a frown crossing her face. She knew as well as he did that this would not go down well with either of their teams. They had their jobs to do, but a job was only a job and friendship was much more. She sounded very young to Gambit as she answered slowly. "I don't know."  
  
He put his hands on her upper arms, made her look up at him as he smiled. She smiled too; his infectious grin cheering her up and making her certain this was the right thing to do.  
  
"I t'ink Mon Ami Pyro went that-a-way." He offered, tipping his head in the direction of the Velocity. As he spoke there was a loud clatter as the fight with the Brotherhood spilled back into the compound in the other direction. Blaze didn't really notice, standing on her tiptoes to kiss Gambit's cheek whilst saying a simple "Thank you." Then they split up, heading in opposite directions to do what they were supposed to be doing after all.  
  
Suddenly there was a whirring noise overhead as Magneto himself had arrived. He headed hovering towards the Velocity just as Pyro realised Blaze was flowing him and turned to send the few ribbons of fire she'd left slithering towards her as vile serpents. She dodged them and their firefight began in earnest. On board the Velocity, Storm prepared to go out and fight Magneto. He must be stopped from hurting the Professor or Stifle. She flew from the helicopter, carried by the winds up to a height equal to Magneto's hovering. And then she fell.  
  
Xavier shouted out to Jean telepathically as he saw Ororo fall as if in slow motion. He didn't understand it, what had just happened? Jean turned just in time and caught Storm in a telepathic grip, but only for a second before powers too failed and Storm hit the concrete with an almighty thwack! Suddenly Xavier understood.  
  
"Stifle, what are you doing?" He asked quickly, trying to beat her, to reach into her mind before the ten-year-old stifled his powers too. He was too late, grabbing his head in his hand as she forcefully slammed his powers closed. So she could make it hurt if she wanted to. There was a heavy laugh as the roof of the helicopter was torn away, Stifle looked up hopefully and Xavier realised what was going on. Stifle was Magneto's tool. And Xavier was helpless to resist Magneto, equally helpless to call out.  
  
**Blaze! ** Vixen cried out with panic in her mind-voice. **Blast him! ** The wolf was already running full pelt towards the helicopter as Blaze stepped over the fallen body of Pyro to hurl fire at Magneto. A charge from the Blob knocked Blaze sideways, threw her back onto the fight with the Brotherhood. Ilehana ignored her sudden lack of support, shape shifting into a golden eagle she swept up the side of the helicopter and went for Magneto's eyes with her cruel talons, before Stifle's treachery hit her too and she plummeted inside the vehicle as a human.  
  
"So, both Xaviers at my mercy." Magneto mused. "You have done well child."  
  
"Thank you Father." Danielle glowed at his praise. The only real father and daughter team in that helicopter shared a quick glance of surprise. Magneto did not bat an eyelid at Stifle's claimed familiarity with him.  
  
"This man is not your father." Charles Xavier spoke only to Stifle in a rushed and hurried voice. Magneto's eyes narrowed and he moved forward, intending to crush all three mutants inside the helicopter before this conversation went much further.  
  
"Danielle, he's going to kill us!" Ilehana pointed out as the confused child started to deny what the Professor had just told her. Stifle glanced upwards, and briefly she met Magneto's eyes before the hole he had created in the roof sealed over. All around them the metal of the Velocity started to buckle and groan. Then like a ball of ice had hit her in the stomach, Danielle saw that she had been used. In anger she lashed out, releasing the X-Men from her grip and pounding her power onto Magneto. There was a cry and a thud as the man hit the helicopter and slid to the floor outside. As quickly as that, Magneto was rendered helpless. Vixen turned to Stifle with a smile.  
  
"That was well done, little X-Man. Now how about helping us stop that fight?" 


	11. 11

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 11  
  
Gambit stood on the edge of the fight wondering if he could be bothered waiting for the Brotherhood to move out of the way before he started pelting the X-Men with charged cards. It was Rogue who spotted him, splitting off from the group and tugging off her glove. Running towards him she launched herself at the Cajun, arm outstretched. With a sudden dread like a premonition Blaze too saw what was about to happen to her friend. She didn't make a decision, just flung herself across the space to knock Gambit out of Rogue's path. She succeeded, but barely.  
  
Remy didn't have an idea what had just happened as he found himself lying on the floor with Blaze by his side. He shook his head as he lifted it from the ground, seeing Rogue kneeling on the concrete just as Stifle and Ilehana combined their telepathy and power-negating skills to halt all the combatants mid-fight. He rolled to his knees, glancing at Blaze. She didn't move. Ilehana's muttered "Oh no." as she spotted Rogue filled in the rest.  
  
Fire had begun to spin like a great whirlwind around the southern belle's slumped form. All of Blaze's energies, including the force of the fire she had consumed earlier were fighting to get out of Rogue, fighting to destroy, to burn, to kill. Rogue's eyes clouded over with orange light, her whole body throbbing with flames. Vixen knew what was going to happen now; Rogue could not control this power. They would all be killed.........  
  
**Stifle! Quickly! ** Ilehana commanded. Danielle concentrated, before stuttering her failure.  
  
"I can't, its all confused, wrong power, wrong person, and too much energy!"  
  
**If you can't we will all die! ** Ilehana commanded again with a wolf's lack of fear over death. It was just a fact; this is what would happen so no use worrying about it. Stifle however did not have that perspective as her fear gave her a new strength. As quickly as it started, the fire around Rogue died and the air became cooler again. Blaze herself still did not move.  
  
Gambit himself went to Rogue, though he wasn't quite sure why. Sure, he was closest of all of them as she sat there shivering on the ground, eyes lowered and hair a mess. But there was something, something he'd not noticed about her before......... He was being stupid, now wasn't the time for this. He knelt by her and spoke to her in a whisper.  
  
"Is you okay Cherie?" Rogue looked up at the sound of the familiar voice, though her eyes were dazed and unfocused. Then suddenly and out of nowhere she was in his strong arms, her lips caressing his. She felt his shock in the rigidity of his shoulders, but then felt it melt as he gave in to enjoyment. Away to one side of them in the dust as the gathered mutants watched Rogue and Gambit in shock, Blaze opened her eyes slowly, rolling onto her side. And then her heart broke. Forcefully she turned her face away, cold and bitter tears hitting the dust.  
  
Like waking from a dream, Rogue suddenly came back to herself and realised what she was doing. It still took her a second to pull away from Gambit as blood rushed to her cheeks and her world swam. Gambit's world wasn't feeling too stable either as he let her go reluctantly. Heck he'd been around the block more than a few times, but this Rogue was somethin' else.........  
  
Right at that moment Cyclops blasted out the wall of the building, the civilian hostages behind him being supported and supporting his small team. The X-Men looked the worse for wear after their fight with Colossus and Sabretooth, but they had triumphed. Kitty was the only one to comment as Gambit offered Rogue a hand to her feet.  
  
"Okay, what did we miss?"  
  
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Back at the mansion, Danielle was reduced to tears. It had taken a great deal from her to allow Professor Xavier into her mind, but what he found there frightened her as much as it gave her back who she was. The alterations in her mind that Mastermind had created went deep, too deep for Xavier to remove just like that. There were still fractions of her past that were missing, but the most important things were returned to her. She knew who her parents were, and neither had anything to do with Magneto.  
  
Stifle suddenly felt both very foolish and very young. But, she thought as she glanced around the room at Xavier and his daughter, at least she was not alone.  
  
"You are welcome to stay here of course, Stifle." Xavier began, his voice calm and clear. "We can help you to control your powers, and you could be a great asset to the X-Men........."  
  
"No thank you." Stifle answered, shaking her head softly and making the multitude of beads clatter. "I've done enough harm here already. Even if I never used my powers on an X-Man again, they will always be thinking what if I did? And anyway," She continued as Xavier nodded sagely. "I need to go home, I need to find out exactly who I am, who my parents are........." Stifle raised her chin stubbornly as a fresh tear ran down her cheek. "Please, take me home?" 


	12. 12

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 12  
  
"Can I see her?" Rogue asked sheepishly, not meeting Storm's eyes as the older woman came out of the infirmary room where Blaze lay recovering. It was more through precaution than from any real medical need, the infirmary was the safest place for Blaze at the moment whilst her powers came back sporadically and she was lacking in control.  
  
"Of course." Ororo confirmed. "But be careful. If Blaze's powers start to run away from her, get out of there quickly" Rogue nodded sombrely, looking at the door with caution in her eyes. She didn't quite know what sort of reception she should expect from Blaze, but she just had to do this. Rogue entered the room.  
  
Blaze was sat up in bed, looking pale but otherwise well. Only when the fire elemental's big brown eyes met Rogue's did the southern girl gasp at the change in the normally friendly Englishwoman. There was so much anger red raw and oozing behind her eyes. Why? What was Blaze holding against Rogue? It had been Rogue not Blaze who had prevented the two of them from ever getting along through Rogue's distrust of the former thief. Now the table turned, and Blaze's unabashed hatred cut Rogue to the core.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Blaze's voice was hot and hard but even toned. Rogue gulped and resolved to come forward.  
  
"I just wanna see how your doin'." Rogue began. "Storm says you're havin' a rough time with your powers comin' back after I........." Her voice tailed off, but she wouldn't look away from Blaze. She wouldn't let Blaze know she was a little afraid.  
  
"You just want to alleviate a little of the guilt you're struggling with." Blaze replied, proving she knew exactly why Rogue was in the room and showing how much she distained that weakness. "You detest me because I'm a thief. But I've never stolen from you, and certainly never stole from you in the way you have now stolen from me."  
  
Rogue snapped, something in her wanting to slap the self-centred girl in front of her, so wrapped up with her own little life. Containing the impulse in a way that Blaze never would have been able to she knew, Rogue put her hands on her hips and spoke back angrily.  
  
"You know what Blaze, you're right. I did come down here to try an' put some guilt to one side, but it ain't mine. The one thing I remember about touchin' you, more than anythin' else, is the wave of guilt an' self-hatred I got from you." Rogue stepped forward at that to stand like a lioness over a kill as Blaze's anger shifted to mild panic. What did Rogue know about her now? "I don't know what you've done Blaze, but I know you think that there's no forgiveness for you after it. I know its bad, an' I'm gonna figure it out, figure you out. An' you can rest assured that if you've done anythin' to hurt the X-Men or Gambit I'm gonna........."  
  
"Stop talking about something you don't understand, child." Blaze recovered herself enough to cut Rogue's speech short. Fire danced in ribbons about the room, making Rogue glance about nervously. Was Blaze about to lose it?  
  
"I'm not much younger than you Blaze. You think you're so grown up, just how old are you anyway?"  
  
"I'll be nineteen in two months." Blaze filled in, knowing that despite Rogue's words, the truth about Blaze's age would still knock the younger girl a little. She was right, Rogue looked shocked that Blaze was really only Scott and Jean's age. Resolving to stop Rogue looking for trouble, Blaze gritted her teeth to be straight with the girl. "But I've been surviving on my own, on the run, a wanted criminal in a foreign country since I was fifteen years old. Stuff like that will make you grow up much faster than any high school kid." Blaze threw sarcasm to cover what was actually jealously of Rogue's chance to go to school, but Rogue seemed unaware even of the insult.  
  
"What did you do?" There was awe in Rogue's voice, and Blaze dropped her eyes as she realised the trap she'd put herself in. She could do nothing now but fill in the gaps, and then let the X-Men judge her as they would. Chances were they couldn't think any worse of her than they already did anyway. And Ilehana? Or Gambit? What would they think of her? Did any of it matter anymore? Suddenly Blaze knew what she had to do.........  
  
"I killed my family." Rogue went white, suddenly feeling very ill. So that was why she'd been swamped with guilt when she'd touched Blaze, the guilt she still couldn't shake was the guilt of a murderer? "My powers are too strong, too dangerous." Blaze continued. "When they first developed I burnt down my home and killed my parents. I've not been back to England since."  
  
"Rogue," Professor Xavier's voice came from the doorway. Rogue wondered how much he'd heard, how much he already knew. "Could you leave Blaze and I alone please?"  
  
"No problem Professor." Rogue was only too glad to be given an excuse to leave; she was shaking from head to foot. Who would have thought it? Blaze on the other hand prepared herself for what she knew was coming, a royal ticking off regarding her actions in the fight from the founder of the X- Men. She was not disappointed.  
  
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"It worries me," Charles Xavier addressed his senior team with a frown, dark eyes troubled under his worried brow. "That Magneto could read so many of the X-Men so well he knew exactly what to offer to turn us against each other. That he knew the majority of us would give anything for the chance, however fleeting, to be normal."  
  
He paused; letting his words sink in as around the room so many of the team looked ashamed and sheepish, including Scott, Jean, Storm, Beast, Kurt and Rogue. Ilehana was silently fuming, arms folded across her chest in a defensive posture that kept out even Logan. Not that Wolverine was in a much better mood himself, picking up quickly on what was irritating Vixen and wearing a deep scowl.  
  
"So," Scott tried to break the uneasy silence by changing the subject. "What's going to happen to Blaze now? I mean can we trust her after what she did? What if she does it again, protects one of our enemies and puts one of the team in danger?"  
  
"Blaze is leaving," Ilehana snapped, voice cold and sarcastic. "That is, if she has your permission Scott?"  
  
"Only to take Stifle home." Storm was quick to point out as the younger team members looked a little shocked. "The Professor has tracked down her family in England and Blaze knows where they live."  
  
"You just don't get it, do you?" Ilehana growled. "Blaze hasn't been disciplined since she was a child. She wont accept that any of us has the right to tell her off for doing what she thought was right, protecting her friend. You let her leave right now and she wont be coming back." Vixen's eyes met her father's identical ones as she concluded her speech. "And who can blame her, when this is the kind of mistrust she'd be coming back to........." 


	13. 13

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Blaze and other random original characters. Ilehana Xavier and Danielle appear courtesy of Corrinth, the X- Men and their world appear courtesy of Marvel.  
  
A/N: Reviews and comments are always welcome.  
  
Scene 13  
  
Ilehana and Logan stood side by side at the window of Ilehana's flat. Her flat now, not one she shared with her friend Blaze. The redhead had barely finished packing her stuff up, not that she'd had that much to be fair, but already the flat was a tidy shell. Without Blaze's scattered books and trinkets, her CDs everywhere with drinks cans balanced precariously on chair arms, it felt as though the apartment had lost its heart. Ilehana knew that this was going to take some serious getting used to. Even the noxious smell of nail varnish had started to fade, a smell Ilehana had never thought she'd miss.  
  
On the street outside as Vixen and Wolverine watched Blaze was stacking the last of her few bags in the trunk of the car. Stoic and unmovable Blaze would not change her mind about leaving Bayville. There was nothing left for her. Ilehana had tried to persuade the redhead with every line she could think of short of using her telepathy. Not even their friendship could stop Blaze now, and Vixen was left with the guilty feeling that her blossoming relationship with Logan was one more reason why Blaze felt out of place. Logan's hand rested supportively between Ilehana's shoulder blades, and she reluctantly acknowledged that even if that were the only reason for Blaze to be leaving, she wouldn't give him up for anything.  
  
"Poor Firefly." Wolverine was the one to break the silence that had stretched out between them. "I know what she did was wrong as far as the team's concerned and all, but she's the one who's lost. Lost her job, her home, her friends......... Lost Gambit to Rogue........."  
  
"Its much worse than that." Ilehana sighed, watching as Blaze dragged her fingers through her red hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. Vixen felt Logan's vague surprise at just how young and helpless Blaze looked at that moment. Did he understand then why Ilehana was so committed to saving the girl then? Such a child really, their Blaze......... "The kiss Rogue gave Gambit, the kiss that has him hooked on her now was as much Blaze as it was Rogue, if not more so."  
  
"Are you sure?" Logan was shocked; he'd known both girls had things for the Cajun, but this put a whole new meaning to the phrase 'stolen kiss'.  
  
"Is the Rogue you know that spontaneous that she'd do something like that? I don't think so, even with Stifle cancelling out her powers. But she had just touched Blaze, and Blaze is that spontaneous. Rogue knows it, even as she's trying to keep that knowledge to herself. Blaze knows too, and she'll never forgive Rogue or herself for what happened."  
  
"And Gambit? Anybody gonna tell the guy what's goin' on?" Wolverine asked.  
  
"No. Rogue hasn't the words to explain it; she's confused trying to sort out her own feelings from Blaze's. And Blaze had decided she cares too much about him to load that onto him. Rogue has stolen from her everything Blaze had to offer Remy, so much more than just a kiss, including his soul........."  
  
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Blaze resolutely ignored the fact that Ilehana and Logan were watching her from the apartment window as she stopped briefly loading her car and tugged her hair back into a more practical ponytail. Fishing in her tight jeans pocket she found her car keys. It was about time she left this dump of a so- called-town anyway.  
  
"You runnin'?" She didn't know where Gambit had come from, but somehow it didn't surprise her that he'd found her. She didn't meet his eyes, knowing if she did and he asked her not to go she'd do as he wanted, not as she had decided. Going around to the far side of the car she put the silver convertible as a physical barrier between her and her friend.  
  
"Actually was thinking more of driving, but yes, I'm leaving."  
  
"Why?" He asked, wondering at how easily the redhead was giving up. He'd thought her stronger than that.  
  
"There's nothing for me here." She answered softly. "The X-Men don't want me."  
  
"Don't I get a say?" He asked, genuine hurt in his voice. "Maybe I want you here."  
  
"No." Blaze responded, tone sharper than she meant it to be as she opened the car door and climbed in.  
  
"Don't I even get a goodbye kiss?" He asked as she started the engine. At last she met his eyes, the emptiness he saw there knocking him as much as her careless words.  
  
"You've already had it........."  
  
The engine started, roaring to life as Blaze accelerated away from the curb. The car's CD player clicked on loudly; sounding out strongly even over the sound of the engine as Blaze unashamedly wiped a tear from her eye. 


End file.
